Dreamcatcher
by AlternateShadesofBlue
Summary: Will Jo's secret visitor be able to help her work through her feelings with new timeline Zane? Set after Reprise.
1. Juxtaposition

Jo knew he was going to pull her in for that kiss even as she attempted to walk away. If she was being honest, she probably hoped he would. His hands pressed into her lower back, exhilarating senses she had been trying to keep dormant since the time change. His lips and body continued their exploration, pressing on to awaken as many senses as he could before she had a chance to think. She was fighting a battle between not letting herself get lost and being desperate to let go of the wall she had built against the fervency of emotions she had once felt for the other him. Zane definitely seemed to have improved his _skills_ this time around which was all the more reason she couldn't let things get too far too fast. But damn, kissing him felt achingly good.

As their mouths advanced their passage, a hand made it's trek upward her spine and he pressed at just the wrong spot. She winced and did her best not to yelp and it was obvious by his release he noticed.

"Oh, shit your back. I'm so sorry, Jo. I forgot about the bullet impact from your vest."

She leaned forward and took a couple deep breaths, shaking her head. "It's okay. I think I might have forgot myself."

He looked at her with a mixture of concern and desire. His features relaxed as an thought seemed to enter his mind. "Come home with me. I could make a pretty damn good male nurse if I do say so myself. I'll draw up a nice bubble bath," his eyebrows raised in suggestion. She didn't look amused so he continued tentatively. "I'll ice up that bruise and get you something warm to eat. Maybe we can continue where we left off..." He followed with not a slight bit of suggestion.

As she straightened up, two answers came to mind- no way in hell and oh god yes! "I can't" is what finally won over.

He moved back into her space and planted another kiss squarely on her lips before questioning, "Why Jo? Come on, I burnt down your house." He winced as as her face hardened, remembering the magnitude of what had happened. "Offering mine and taking care of you is the least I can do." He added with sincerity.

As much as she desperately wanted to consider his offer, she wouldn't, couldn't. If she went to his place like this, she knew what would happen. And starting an immediate fling sounded insanely tempting when faced with the desire, pain and even anger that was raging at the moment. A huge part of her wanted to give in and forget everything that had happened and just let all her reservations go. Yet in her heart she knew how badly it would hurt if he wasn't committed. No, she needed to get away and think. Sensibility took over. "No. Look, I still have clothes in S.A.R.A.H. And I told Carter I was going to stay there tonight so they're both already expecting me." She said with resolution. She stepped back to place some distance between them.

Not appearing fazed, he continued with invitation,"what if we go by there on the way to my place and pick some up."

"You know how many questions S.A.R.A.H. would ask? And then she'd tell Carter and then Zoe. No. I'm not even close to being ready for that." She cringed at the thought. She wasn't ready for that knowing grin of happiness Carter would have as he wrote them off as married. And Zoe... Yes, she definitely wasn't psyched for that conversation. She placed her hands flat his chest in in earnest. There was no mistaking Jo when she looked so resolute.

He wanted to argue, she could tell but restraint was evident in his face. Appearing to be afraid he was holding on by a thread he relented. "Alright, I get the point. Though I want you to know I wasn't implying that more had to happen between us. But again, not opposed to it either." He added with a sly grin.

"Oookay, and with that, I need to go." She inhaled to sum up her patience and abruptly pivoted and the blackened frame of what started out as her beautiful home that morning came into view. She exhaled, quickly slowing to an almost stop as she once more took in all that was gone.

Noticing her hesitation and falter he hurriedly caught up behind her. "Jo." He stated softly. His hand lifted to rest on her shoulder tentatively in comfort.

"What Zane?" She responded with exasperation. The insurmountable burden of stress and his persistence was wearing on her.

He sunk back with sheepishness. "Look, I don't want you to shut me out again tomorrow and pretend none of this happened." She could see him searching her face for reassurance but she didn't have any to give him.

"I'm exhausted. I've had a horrible day, even for Eureka standards. I'm sore as hell from being hit with that bullet in the Kevlar. My brand new home and belongings that I painstakingly worked on for months to recover was torched to ashes- by my ex- well whatever the hell you would call what you are now. My life has been turned upside down and a big part of that has to do with you." As he stood there looking shamefaced she felt a twinge of guilt and stated simply, "I need some time." She might need a lot of time. Make that a hell of a lot of time.

She watched him fall back with understanding, the current reality of what she was feeling appearing to hit him. Disappointment washed over his face but he nodded. He strode along in silence with her to her car, leaning against the cold metal of the electric blue frame as she approached and opened her door. His head was cocked towards her, a frown on his face and his brow furrowed. She knew he was confused, probably almost as badly as she was. Not knowing what the future would bring, she faced him one last time. She pulled him towards her, planting a deliberate kiss on his lips. She lingered as long as she could before she worried if she continued she wouldn't be able to break away. He responded of course, unsure as she was whether this was goodbye or reassurance of feelings they both knew were there.

As she parted and climbed into her seat, she told herself to shake off the lingering regrets that were pulsing in her heart. It was racing so fast and she had no idea where the anger, regret and desire separated in the beats. It was a juxtaposition of the three feelings is all she knew. She rolled down her window and he leaned forward, his elbows resting on the window-frame. Their eyes searched each others' faces one final time before she pulled the gearshift into drive and drove away. She wasn't even able to mouth goodbye, afraid it would come true. Zane was left standing in the road, eyes not leaving the disappearing mass of her car as she sped away.

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><p>AN: I don't own Eureka but how I would love to live there!

Thanks to ZeroGain for posting "Jo's Reprisal" today and challenging how I approached this chapter. This is definitely more on the fluffy side but hopefully I made enough changes to make it more believable. This is un-beta'd but I'd love one if someone is interested.

I hope to wrap this story up in 4-5 chapters so I won't leave reader's hanging for too long. Thank you so much for reading and I always appreciate reviews.

**Just wanted to point out, several chapters in this story I decided to change my screen name. Originally this was written under KimMG but I wanted something a little less conspicuous for people that know me. Hope I didn't confuse too many.**


	2. Please Universe, Please

S.A.R.A.H.'s door flew open and Jo entered. "Good evening Jo." The mechanical voice greeted her in a sing-song voice.

Jo glanced about the house and tossed her backpack on the couch. "Hey S.A.R.A.H. Carter at Allison's?"

"Yes, he is. He told me make extra ice to apply to your bruising. I can summon Andy out of the closet to help you apply it if you like. He's sleeping over tonight since we've become friends with benefits." S.A.R.A.H. offered politely.

Jo's face contorted in disgust picturing Andy's creepy perma-grin plastered on his face while pressing an ice pack in her bare back. "Ew. Um no thanks. And that's really too much information." She groaned. "I'd really just like a warm shower before I head to bed." She made her way into the bathroom and S.A.R.A.H. automatically set the privacy screen like she had gotten accustomed to doing since Jo had started staying there. "Oh and light water pressure, please." She added cringing at the thought of the usual pressure she preferred pulsating strongly into her back.

As she carefully pealed off her shirt and pants she looked over her shoulder in the mirror, examining the dark purple wound that covered a good portion of her left shoulder blade. Over the years, through lots of experience, she had a knack for blocking out pain when she needed to. It was actually to a fault because she would numb herself so much to it that she'd end up pushing herself beyond what was a good idea without realizing it. By the time she'd allow herself to relax the pain would always hit her like a brick. There were definitely some bruised bones as well as flesh, she was just glad she hadn't fractured ribs.

The water sprayed down soaking her scalp while the scent of charcoal and smoke permeated the steamy air. The vision of Zane, with a flamethrower, aggressively torching all her belongings to smithereens would pop in her mind anytime she closed her eyes. How could she ever get rid of that? And yet, she had almost killed Carter with a purposeful bullet today and he had let it go like it had been nothing. Maybe she wasn't as forgiving as he was, she thought grimly. Maybe time travel, science and figuring out how much of the Zane she had before was in this Zane was too much to get past.

She washed her hair twice with the strongest scented shampoo available, Zoe's raspberry almond scented liquid and finished it off with some of the complimentary conditioner. She lathered the soap over her entire body, reminded of Zane's incessant flirting that day. She contemplated payback. She fantasized with a satisfaction if she did ever let him have sex with her again, she planned on making the first time as fully clothed and in the dark as she could manage as retribution. He could be such a pain in the ass. More so than before if that were possible.

She toweled herself dry and walked wrapped up to Zoe's old room. She went to the dresser and took note of what was left of her clothing. A few pieces of all the essentials remained along with two pairs of shoes. All her new lingerie she had ordered that fit like a glove all gone. The three brand new dresses to wear to church, gone along with the new shoes.

And then there was everything else in her house. All her perfectly coordinating kitchen and bathroom décor that took weeks to order and many hours to organize was lost. Her dojo, her firing range and all the weapons she had stocked in her gun safe. When she thought about it her only comfort was that since the incident with Larry she had all her photos backed up on disk, each of which took painstaking effort to recover.

She changed into a tank and some boy shorts and took care to lay on her right side and gathered the covers to her chin. She was exhausted and yet she lay there, unable to fully sleep. She felt like crying and yet she couldn't bring herself to. That wasn't so unusual for her, it had been this way for years. She'd been through so much over time that most of the tears were gone. But she was still broken. Why did that have to be him today? And why did Fargo have to tell him everything? She had finally started to move on or so she thought.

She yanked a pillow behind her back and leaned into it, trying to get comfortable. She willed her mind not to go to the place it was avoiding but at the same time she needed it. She needed him, needed the way things were before everything had happened. Since they had all experienced the hallucinations several months back, she began having these moments. It had only happened a few times. She would be horribly upset by something, sometimes nightmares, sometimes something from her day. So she would beg God, Zane and the Universe to let her old Zane be there to comfort her for just awhile. And she would absolutely never admit it to anyone, lest they think she was crazy but it would work. She had no idea how to explain it. Maybe he hadn't actually been there, maybe it was her subconscious giving her a coping mechanism or maybe she wasn't completely cured from the hallucination. Yet it felt so real. She swore each time she would never ask for him again and yet as she lay here, there was nothing she wanted more than a few moments with him. That familiarity and comfort. He was the only person she had been able to let go and be vulnerable with and she needed that more than ever that night.

She called to him silently, unsure if she was willing her imagination to produce him or- really she didn't know and at this point didn't care. After a few minutes in her half awake- half asleep state he appeared. He lay on his side, facing her only inches away; a sweet concerned expression as he lovingly searched her face for what was troubling her. He was wearing a fitted, ribbed tank and a pair of boxers. She exhaled a sigh of relief as her body relaxed against him and a soft smile appeared on her lips. "Zane." Her Zane.

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><p><em>AN: I made a couple slight adjustments to the first chapter thanks to Sarah60691 pointing out that Zane might have been a little too sweet. I saw where she was coming from so I edited just slightly. I do think at that point Zane would have been worried about her running away or maybe pushing her too far. I also think he would have felt like hell after what he'd done to her house. Next chapter will be lots of Jo working out her feelings with old time line Zane. I have some of it written and I hope to finish the chapter tonight. If not it will probably have to wait until next weekend. Too many small feet distracting me in the week. _

_I don't own Eureka but I would love to live there. I appreciate all reviews so much, it helps motivate me. Thanks for reading!_


	3. Apparition

Zane read Jo's face searchingly as he traced fingers down the length of her hair. "Jojo, I missed you."

Each time this had happened she had been afraid to touch him. She feared he'd disappear if her mind tactically realized he wasn't real. So she lay still and did her best to cherish each brush against her skin his imaginary presence created. "Oh Zane I miss you so much," her voice broke.

"What's the matter babe, why are you so upset?" He traced his fingers along her hairline and down the side of her cheek.

She felt her eyes well up and she tried to find the words to tell him. "I...Fargo let it slip out about the other time line and us. Now you want to know what we were." She explained with sadness.

He furrowed his brow in puzzlement. "Sooo, what's the problem?"

"Today, because of glitch in programming, you burnt down my house. It's a long story, but it messed up everything I've been working on for months to and I had to walk up to you being the one doing it."

Her expression hardened for a brief minute as she looked at him and he spoke a tentative "sorry?"

She placed a hand in front of him, motioning him not to continue. "Stop, I know it wasn't you. It wasn't even him, really. And yet I'm having a terrible time letting it go. He drives me absolutely crazy, probably even worse than you did."

"Yeah, well Jo, if I didn't drive you crazy I'm not sure our relationship would have had as much spark." He lowered his voice to just above a whisper. "I kind of think it's part of what you love about me." He winked and his lips fell in a smirk.

"Maybe I was wrong about that whole driving me crazy thing." His smirk widened in amusement and she continued. "I don't know if I can go through anymore pain if it doesn't work out. He's not you, he doesn't know me and love me like you do. So I just... I can't."

"Jo, he is me. Same DNA, you could check each strand, well except in the case of likely epigenetic modification**... " She looked hard at him in frustration and he added, "Nevermind."

She continued, not bothering to ask. "Yes but we haven't built anything together like you and I did. Do you remember all we've gone through to get to this point? How many times we've almost broke up? I don't think I'd survive that a second time." She added with sadness.

"That's exactly my point Jo. Look how much we've been through over the last few years. You can't let that all go because of fear." He scolded gently.

"Zane, let's be honest here. You know why you were first attracted to me. What's to say as soon as I let myself fall for him, he doesn't find someone that attracts him more? I don't think I can or want to live through that."

"Look, we may have started off because of physical attraction but there is so much more that made me fall for you."

"Like because I could kick your ass?" She responded dryly.

"Yeah, that was part of it." He grinned widely in amusement. "But seriously, you kept me in line Jo. I knew you'd always straighten me out if I screwed up."

She took a moment to consider what he was saying. With some hesitation she asked, "Was there anything else?"

With certainty, he replied, "lots of things. The way you're loyal to and protective of your friends. How passionate you are about everything in your life- whether it's guns, ballet, or your job." Her eyes dropped and he lowered his face just enough to catch her gaze again and continued. "The way you can keep a clear head under pressure. You're funny as hell too. The deadpan sarcasm kills me." Despite her attempts against it she was blushing. "I can't leave out how killer you are in bed."

She let out a laugh despite herself. "You're not so bad yourself Donovan."

He raised his brow in appreciation and licked his lips suggestively. "Our make-up sex was to die for. I can't imagine having been with anyone else." He added with a break in his voice.

She stared at him surprisingly. "I never knew you felt all of that. I mean I know you loved me, I just didn't know you appreciated so much about me."

"I thought you knew how I felt. I really screwed that up in the expressing my feelings department, didn't I?" He paused as she shook her head in reassurance. Then an understanding flashed in his eyes. "Is that why you hesitated when I proposed?"

She swallowed back the emotion that was catching in her throat. "Maybe. If I had know all of that it might have made a difference, not that it matters now." She added dejectedly.

They lay quietly in each others arms for some time. Zane finally spoke. "You need to give him a chance."

She shook her head in protest. "I don't know that I can. What about my house?"

"If this had happened before the time line switch would you have forgiven me? How about if you had heard about it after you lost me? Would it matter if we could be together?"

"No." She answered with certainty. "But Zane, in a weird way it feels like I'm betraying you. I don't want to let you go."

A sadness crossed his face and he grew serious. "You have to Jo. We'll never be able to be happy again until you stop holding on to what we had. You have to make something new and let me go, for good."

She shook her head in protest but she knew he was right. And for the first time in years the tears fell and she sobbed. She felt one soft brush of a kiss on her lips and then he held her. She wasn't sure if she was imagining any of it but she didn't want to question. She snuggled against whatever it was as she finally drifted fully to sleep.

* * *

><p><em>AN: This all came about because of an experience I had growing up. I had a major loss before I hit my teens. And there were two times in my life that I was so beside myself with grief and depression that I begged for the person to be there. And in a weird way I could feel them appear. I lay really still and let whatever it was comfort me. It was probably a coping mechanism but I was so shocked at how realistic it was. I felt calm and peace. When I thought about Jo I pictured the idea that she would try to talk with her Zane and this is what came about. Make your own assumptions about what this really was, whether it be her way of working out her feelings and giving herself permission to let him go, some kind of spirit, new Zane sneaking in to comfort her or a leftover hallucination. _

_**Epigenetic modification is where identical twins start out with nearly identical DNA and over time differing environmental influences throughout their lives affect which genes are switched on or off. I was reading Sydnew's "S.A.R.A.H. Knows Best (which is a great fic!) and she mentions a similar concept. It seemed to fit with Zane being the same person with different experiences. Thanks to Sydnew. _

_And of course I don't own Eureka but I love the PNW and would love to spend some time in the town, if only it existed. Hope you enjoy, thanks for reading and I appreciate reviews! I'll hopefully have the last couple chapters up by the weekend._


	4. And All I Heard was Silence

Jo woke the following morning feeling somehow lighter. A burden had been lifted from her heart. The nerves were still there of course. But for whatever reason, whatever happened the night before made her ready to move on. More so than she had in a long time.

She arrived at GD, butterflies swarming her insides as she thought about facing him. Scolding herself for all the scenarios she kept going through in her head, she finally decided she was going to ask him to meet her at Cafe Diem. Then they could take a drive to their favorite campsite- well what used to be their favorite campsite. It had beautiful views and it was nice and private. They could talk and... Whatever happened, would happen. She was doing her best to let it be and not over think it.

So why did the minute she decided she was ready to talk to him, the day became filled with one catastrophe after another? And she couldn't help but feel the slightest bit of disappointment that this time, none of those mishap's lead back to Zane.

Five different machinery malfunctions. Two explosions- one of them in the botany lab which was using a sulfur based fertilizer that created a rotten egg smell in most of Section 4. Four occupational disputes(Well, one was also happened to be domestic. Why did they let married scientists on the same projects again?) Multiple programming concerns. A glitch that cause all the smart-phones to shut down for a good part of the afternoon. And when they weren't down, her's was ringing.

She hadn't had a free minute most of the day and it was looking more and more like she'd never get to talk to Zane. Finally in the afternoon she saw him approaching in one of the corridors near his lab and she smiled, nervous and happy to finally have a moment with him.

But then with his horrible timing, Fargo approached and pulled her aside. She did her best to brush him off but he insisted that talking with her was urgent, so she couldn't break away. Her eyes briefly met with Zane's, but seeing she was busy, he frowned and continued on his way.

Fargo informed Jo that General Mansfield was insisting she attend an emergency security seminar in Los Angeles first thing the next morning. She was expected to drive immediately to Portland and catch a flight that evening. She would have to rush home and grab the few items she had to pack and be on her way. Frustrated, but unable to come up with an adequate excuse, she agreed.

Feeling the need to see him before she left, she headed straight for Zane's lab. Unfortunately, he was no where to be found. She desperately called multiple times but the phones still were glitching and she couldn't get through. She just hoped she could reach him on the way, or from the airport.

For whatever reason, each time she tried, he still wouldn't picked up. No voice-mail, nothing.

She was finding it hard to believe the lines were still down, so she made a call to Fargo when she got to the airport, double checking there wasn't a Eureka disaster that was causing the problem.

It rang three times and then Fargo answered, "Douglas Fargo speaking."

"Fargo, it's Jo. I guess they are working." She stated, puzzled.

"What, the phones? Yeah, they've been back since late this afternoon." Fargo replied.

"Oh." She was debating how much she should say or if she wanted to trust him to try and get a message to Zane.

"Something wrong?" He asked, as if he detected her sadness.

"No. It's just, I was trying to reach Zane." Her voice dropped in unease.

"Yeah, he's been going crazy trying to get everything up and running today. Everyone seems to need his help. I'm sure he's just really busy." He replied with reassurance.

"Yeah, I'm sure that's it." She tried to hide the disquiet in her voice but she cursed herself for failing. Was Zane avoiding her?

"If I see him do you want me to relay a message?" He offered, seeming to sense her worry.

She contemplated if she wanted to give Fargo any indication of what was going one. And what could she have him say? What if Zane was avoiding her? "Um, just let him know I had to go out of town and I'll call him."

"Sure, I can do that." She could almost feel his awkwardness through the phone and he quickly changed the subject. "By the way, I've got Larry busy reordering everything for your house again. Your clothes should be here within a week."

"Wait, you gave Larry all of my clothing sizes? Fargo, I swear to God, if that idiot knows my bra size..." She fumed at the possibility, completely creeped out.

"Woah Jo. No. I didn't give him any of that. I just had him request a re-order of everything you ordered before, under your name." Fargo assured her nervously.

She sighed in relief. "Alright, good. Thanks."

"Not a problem. Oh, I know you're living in S.A.R.A.H. again but the townhomes are finished being remodeled and I have a couple empty ones. Might be nice to have your own space until your place is re-rebuilt."

Zane lived in the GD Townhomes. She was trying to decide if living in the same neighborhood would be a good or bad thing. "I'll get back to you on that. When do you need to know?" She inquired absently.

"Oh, whenever. I'll keep one available until you make up your mind."

"Thanks Fargo."

"Sure." He paused and she sensed there was something else he wanted to say. He finally spoke, "Jo? Uh, don''t tell anyone about this, but if you happen to run into Sarah Michelle Gellar while you're there..."

She rolled her eyes. "Seriously?" Did he actually think celebrities just ran the streets in LA? She laughed in amusement. "Fine. I promise if I see her, I'll make sure to get a personal signature and photo for you."

"Yes!" He hissed excitedly, and then recovered. "I mean, thank you."

"Bye Fargo."

She stared down thoughtfully at her phone. Zane not answering still didn't seem right to her. Maybe he was just busy. Before she could think about it further they called her section for boarding. She got on the plane figuring she'd just have to try again tomorrow since she'd arrive so late from her flight.

* * *

><p>She tried his phone again in the morning while waiting outside the door, waiting for the seminar to begin and it continued to dump her off at a dead line. Beginning to get more concerned, she tried Fargo again. It went straight to voicemail. She tapped her foot impatiently through his long message.<p>

_You've reached the voice mail of Douglas Fargo. I'm not available to take  
>your call right now, possibly because I've hitched a ride in the TARDIS to the<br>Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire, but probably because I'm in a  
>meeting. Leave a message, and I'll call you back.*<em>

"Hi Fargo, it's Jo. Zane never got back to me and I was wondering if you'd talked to him? I think the phones are still glitchy- his still hasn't been working. Anyway, about to go in. I'll call you when it's done."

Still concerned, she decided to hurry and try Carter. Just as she started dialing, they called everyone in. It would have to wait.

The lecture was boring as hell and completely irrelevant for what her team dealt with at GD. It seemed thrown together and it was centered around other government offices, much different than what Eureka required. She spent most of the time drilling herself on weaponry and ammunition pairings in her head. She couldn't join in the discussions much since her security clearance was substantially higher than the rest of the room. She was frustrated she even got called to participate. Did Mansfield think she was an idiot? Proper use of metal detectors and bullet proof vests? Child's play.

Her thoughts kept creeping back to Zane and what she had wanted to be doing with him the night before. She couldn't wait to get out of there and get back home.

* * *

><p>Completely annoyed, she exited the seminar seven hours later. Her thoughts immediately went back to Eureka and she turned her phone back on. Nine messages. Finally, he must have called her back. She quickly looked through her call history but it turned out they were all either from Carter or Fargo. Sighing and ready for a new disaster she dialed Carter first.<p>

"Hey Carter." She stated casually.

"Jo, thank god. We need you back here now." He related to her quickly with a hint of panic.

"Don't tell me, it's the PDA's right? They have been giving everyone problems..."

He cut her off. "Jo, no."

Sensing something serious, her brow furrowed and she questioned,"Carter, what is it?"

He paused."It's...it's Zane."

Her heart raced and she swallowed back the lump forming in her throat."Oh my God. What happened?"

"I...just get here as fast as you can." He responded carefully, and she could sense the worry in his voice.

"I'm on my way." Reluctantly, she hung up. She wanted to ask a million questions but sensed Carter didn't want to explain over the phone. Wasting no time she hurriedly made her way to Los Angeles International Airport. On her way there, she silently prayed that whatever it was, whether it was one of the awful scenarios that was racing through her head or not, that he would be okay. That she wouldn't have to live through losing him again.

* * *

><p><em>AN's: *Thanks so much to Sydnew for Fargo's awesome Dr. Who message. Isn't she brilliant?_

_So, I was wrong. I planned on this being this fairly short, introspective story but for some reason this ending wouldn't leave me alone and no matter how many times I tried to put it in another story it wanted back in this one. So, I won't have it finished as quickly but it will have more plot(and more chapters. _

_As always I don't own Eureka but I would love to live there(I'd even settle for a visit). I really appreciate all the reviews so far! Please review if you can, it helps motivate me._


	5. Overreaching and Oversight

Overreaching and Oversight

_Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap_. That was the sound her anxious feet made through pretty much the entire flight back to Portland. Much to the dismay of the other passengers she was sure, but she didn't care about that right now. All she could think about was Zane and if he was okay.

She cursed Carter for not giving her details about Zane's condition and herself for hanging up her phone without any. And to top it off, since her GD phone didn't work outside Eureka she was stuck with an entirely inferior smart phone* which had died shortly after she had spoken with him. The events from many past catastrophes played themselves over and over in her head: black ice striations, organic computer viruses, hyper-oxygenation, stolen DNA... Who knew what kind of disaster had befallen him this time. And all before she even got a chance to talk with him.

Minutes passed with a sluggish tick and she struggled with impatience.

Her normal traveling distractions that included Military Ma'am, her secret Kezia fashion magazine carefully hidden behind the latest cover of her Military Information Technology, and the new novel she was reading, in this case "Gray and Silver", were hopeless at keeping her attentions from her worry. Instead all her focus was about him and how she should have found an excuse out of this stupid waste of a trip.

When the plane finally arrived, at nearly 7pm, she gratefully only had packed one carry-on and had chosen an aisle seat. So, despite some stragglers, she was able to exit without too much aggravation. Jo bustled her way to the baggage claim and was met by Pearson, one of her security personnel. He was an average height thirty-something she'd always appreciated for his kind spirit and industrious work ethic.

He already had her luggage in hand. "Good evening Chief Lupo." He said, greeting her with a nod. "I arrived with Torrez and he's already on his way back to GD with your car. Director Fargo instructed me to escort you immediately to the GD chopper."

"Thanks Pearson. Let's get a move on it."

He led the way in a dart with her to the escalator, setting a brisk pace. They weaved as best they could around the civilians, straight for the helicopter loading zone.

They boarded and she sank to her seat. As they departed, she couldn't help but close her eyes and think about how just two nights earlier she and Zane had been wrapped in each other's arms, twice if she counted her unique occasional visitor. The first time embracing him had been emotional, gritty, raw and real. A need for him she wanted to rebel against but barely had the strength to push away. She had desperately clutched to the only semblance of her past reality she could when he had gripped her wrist and they had sealed their desire with a fiery embrace. And it had crushed her with pain and exhilarated her at the same time. Leaving her confused and with little hope.

Then for the second time that night when he appeared it had been just as desperate but more comforting. He was hers, as much as he still could be. She could sink into the memories and let them blanket her up. Cozy, warm and what she didn't ever want to let go of. She hated to admit it but by not answering his proposal, she had left the last memory of them together hurtful and broken. She'd beaten herself up over that plenty over the last few months. Maybe that's why when he'd come to her in the illusions. In those he was always so loving and understanding. Maybe that was her guilt talking. And she'd said goodbye to that to take a chance with this version of Zane.

This version wasn't quite as flawless as the one she imagined. Though when she was being honest with herself and not letting romanticism get in the way, she realized he was probably much closer to the Zane she was in love with than she cared to admit.

She sighed as she realized her last moment with this Zane had been left just as uncertain as the proposal.. She prayed she wouldn't regret leaving him with things unfinished like she did with her Zane. What was it he had said to her? Something about how if the neuro-linguistic programming mishap had happened with him, would she have let it stand in the way of them getting to be together again?

She wouldn't have, she didn't think, but now… If something terrible happened she might have done just that with this Zane. Was the world so cruel that it would happen to her twice? Damn. She supposed it could be. If she had the chance to set things right, she had to take it. No more "deer in the headlights" moments, she vowed.

The pilot interrupted her thoughts and informed them they'd arrive at GD in less than fifteen minutes. She blinked and straightened in her seat, nervously looking to Pearson as she evened her face. "Can you get a line to GD? I want to make sure there aren't any roadblocks with security when we arrive."

"Certainly Chief Lupo." Pearson stated and immediately dialed.

If he was curious about what she was rushing back for, he never gave any indication. She was thankful he was the one to accompany her and Torrez was the one to drive her car back. Torrez had a penchant for asking too many questions and she wasn't in the mood for explaining.

"You'll have immediate clearance into GD through the entrance off the landing pad when we arrive," he assured her as he ended the call.

"Thanks." Questions. Huh. Glancing at him, she wondered if he could have some of the answers she'd been worried about the entire trip. She had been so caught up in her thoughts she hadn't considered how much he might know about the situation with Zane. She wondered if asking about the condition of GD's most notorious troublemaker might alert her guard that there was something going on between them. Well if there was still something going on between them.

With him being one of her more reverent subordinates she doubted he'd be privy to many personal details. Maybe Torrez would have been the more useful one on the flight. He never could resist butting into what was none of his business. No, no. She wasn't ready to reveal that particular weakness to any of her subordinates, even the careful ones, at least not in these early stages.

She decided that asking vague questions couldn't hurt though. "Were there any major incidents that happened today that you're aware of?"

He frowned. "I had just arrived for my shift when Armstrong informed Torrez and I we would be making a trip in the Helicopter to escort you and your vehicle back to GD. The only incident I know about was an altercation in Section 3. I could get GD back on the line and get someone to brief you if you'd like?" He offered with regret.

They were minutes from GD now and by the time they got in touch with anyone they'd be there. "No, no, that's fine. I'll find out soon enough."

The chopper landed and as fast as she could, she unbuckled her safety belt and exited the chopper, darting across the now dark landing pad and into the building. She didn't concern herself with bags besides her carry-on leather backpack, or with any of the security team she passed along the way. She was sure she'd gotten some speculative glances and knew she upset a bunch of security protocols but she paid no mind to it. Her only concern at the moment was finding Zane and figuring out what the hell had happened and how it could be fixed. How everything could be fixed.

Her first stop was the infirmary. When she crossed in through the electronic sliding doors, she looked around with trepidation but didn't find Zane in any of the beds. She noticed one of the scientists that worked with Zane in his lab sitting on a cot in the corner. Figuring he might have some idea what was going on, she started to work her way over to him. A medical tech beat her there and she decided to just ask the head doctor on call.

Doctor Stein did a quick records check in the database and said Zane hadn't been there recently. Jo had her double check the records for a Professor I.P. Freely, Willie Leak, and Ben Dover, just to be on the safe side. None of those or any of his other ridiculous monikers had been used in the last two days.

Confused, she turned to go speak with Zane's lab-mate but he was in a heated discussion with the tech attending him. Rather than get into an argument with them both, she pulled up the security log on one of the free terminals and found Fargo last logged in to his office terminal. Feeling somewhat relieved to not find Zane had been injured, but still slightly ill-at-ease, she headed off to speak to him.

When she arrived, Carter, Allison, and Fargo were all there, and their attention turned to the door as she strode in. They all looked troubled.

"I headed straight for the infirmary," she said. "They said Zane hasn't been there. What the hell is going on?"

They look nervously amongst each other and Carter was the one to speak first in his always even, calming tone. "Jo, he's not injured, he's just not here."

His careful words only served to irritate her already rattled nerves. She replied carefully, "Not here, what do you mean he's not—wait he's not... oh my God!" Her hands started to shake and felt her knees weaken as she feared the worst.

Carter's face paled in realization and he moved to face her, gaining eye contact and placing reassuring hands on her wrists, steadying her. "No, no, no. He's alive. Apparently sometime yesterday evening, General Mansfield and his team removed Zane from Eureka and are holding him in custody."

She steadied herself and shook off Carter's hands, but the sickness in the pit of her stomach remained. "For what? What the hell happened?"

Carter looked to Fargo, who licked his lips and straightened his suit nervously before he spoke. "Apparently the general found our unauthorized rocket launch the perfect opportunity to rid Eureka of Zane. He's being charged with stealing the ion pulse damper from the BCE."

"And you all just let him take him?" She asked Fargo incredulously.

He looked around in unease, thinking of how he was involved in the unplanned launch. "I had no idea they were taking him until he was gone," Fargo answered weakly.

"It's not even theft!" she protested.

"I know," said Allison, "The general's using his prerogative to call it that, though"

She pressed her lips tightly in frustration. "This is great. No one stood up for him and now he'll probably be shipped off to prison for good. What the hell Fargo? That launch was just as much your fault as it was his." She was out of patience, and she knew she wasn't being fair, but didn't care. It'd been a hellish few days.

Carter began to speak, "Jo—"

Fargo interrupted him, his voice pitching high. "Of course I stood up for him. But there was no stopping Mansfield. The man is a bulldog." He looked angry, and hurt.

Blaming her friends for this wasn't fair. She chided herself for letting her anger and frustration, and… yes fear… get the better of her. She was terrified she'd just let her one last chance with Zane slip away forever.

Carter put a hand on her shoulder. "Jo," he said, soothingly. "Allison, Fargo and I argued with Mansfield all morning. None of us wanted this to happen and we did our best. Think about the timing of this for a second. Your sudden trip on the general's mandate, Zane's late-night apprehension…"

She swore. "That stupid meeting was nothing but a diversion. He planned this all along. I knew something about the trip felt wrong."

"Exactly." Carter said.

She thought on it for a bit, her wheels turning, her suspicions growing. "Why the hell would Mansfield care so much about me being out of town? As far as he's concerned I'm Zane's enemy. I'm the 'Enforcer'."

Fargo stood with his arms crossed and stated with a slight hint of resentment, "General Mansfield said that he suspected the two of you were getting too close after the incident with the TAP. Apparently he's been keeping a closer eye on the two of you than we knew."

Jo reflexively snapped a glare at Allison. Allison's face colored and she looked down, avoiding eye contact. Jo marshaled herself. Blaming Allison wasn't going to help. She needed to focus, somehow she had to get him back. "What can we do?" She asked the group.

"Jo, there's more." Allison replied.

She stepped away from Carter and thumped down on Fargo's couch. "Of course there is," she bit out, her tone sarcastic. Allison lifted her chin, as though braving rough waters.

"Jo…" Carter cautioned.

Jo pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head. "Sorry, Allison. Continue, please."

Allison nodded, and her face softened. "All of the people in Zane's lab seem to be affected by something. We're worried a project could be the cause and that Zane's been affected as well."

"Affected how?" All of the trepidation about his health crept right back in to Jo's stomach.

Allison pursed her lips, as if uncertain. "Unfortunately we're still unsure. So far the symptoms have been irritability, drowsiness, and headaches. Everyone seems to be suffering from some confusion as well."

She gulped back the lump that had developed in her throat and questioned with reluctance, "Do you think it's serious?"

Doing her best to sooth Jo's fear without making promises she answered, "We're running some tests but we still haven't figured out what's causing this. I'm concerned because everyone involved seems to be experiencing shortages in potassium and so far I'm having trouble balancing it back to normal range. I'm concerned this could get serious."

Jo nodded, "We have to get him back here. Where did they take him?"

Fargo answered, "They took him up to the Federal Corrections facility in Sheridan. It's about four hours north of here, Southwest of Portland."

"What about Mansfield?" Jo asked.

"I'm pretty sure he's still there. Zane has a hearing on Friday that he likely won't miss." Fargo said.

Jo crossed her arms in certainty. "Oh I'm sure. How do we go about getting him back?" She hoped they had some thoughts on the best plan of attack. As much as she tried to be calm and collected there was a part of her that wanted to grab the biggest and baddest from her armory and have a visit with Mansfield to give him a taste of his own medicine. She wouldn't do it out of respect for his position, of course, but damn if the thought didn't make her feel liberated.

Fargo interrupted her thoughts. "I think one of us needs to go up there. We need to check on him and convince Mansfield or the judge he needs to get back to Eureka as soon as possible for some testing and to help us figure out what's going on here."

"I'm on it." Jo replied with resolve.

Allison nodded. "Good. Carter and I can try and get in touch with some of our old contacts with the DOD and Marshall's and see if any of them can help us get Zane back here."

"Great. Thanks… and sorry about before. I didn't mean… I know you all did the best you could. You too Fargo." She did her best to force a smile but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

Fargo nodded and damn it did his sad puppy dog face make her feel like a jerk.

Carter smiled at her encouragingly. "Good Luck Jo."

She nodded her gratitude.

Carter touched Allison's arm to signal them to leave but before she hurried away she smiled warmly at Jo and gave her a hug.

She didn't want to admit it but it was probably the first time that day she let go of some of the pent up stress. She accepted Allison's gesture with appreciative smile, trying not to let her emotions that were threatening to break free and thanked her.

"If you need anything just call. And be careful. Everyone is having different symptoms so we don't know how Zane will be reacting. Just try and find out if he's experiencing anything unusual and let me know." Allison offered.

"I will."

She just prayed she wouldn't need them and she could get Zane back, before something more serious happened and she lost him forever.

* * *

><p><em>AN: _

_*I think GD's phones work outside Eureka. But for some reason I thought at one time they didn't? Anyway, for my plot I bent that piece of information a bit. Hope it didn't bug anyone too much._

_Thanks so much to ZeroGain being my beta for this chapter. I've been struggling on this the past couple weeks writing it and I'm so sorry it took so long to finally get posted. I can't promise anything but I hope to have the next chapters much sooner. And thanks to OrionM42 for helping me with research. _

_Thank you for reading and I'd really appreciate it if you reviewed. It motivates me to continue!_

_And all the regular jazz. I don't own Eureka, though I love the PNW and would love it if Eureka really existed on the map. _


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